It’s time to vote in the 2011 Airlock Alpha Portal Awards. Now in its 12th year, the Portal Awards honors the best in science-fiction that aired on television or in the movie theaters between June 1, 2010 and May 31, 2011. All you need to vote in the Portal Awards is a valid email address, and you can then do it once per day for 30 days — pretty much now until July 26.

So who are you going to vote for? There are 14 categories waiting for your choice. Once you cast your ballot, let your friends know (post it to Facebook, to LiveJournal, to your Twitter, send a postcard through the regular mail if you remember how) and help get the votes behind your favorites.

Whatever you do, please don’t try to game the system. We keep very close tabs on all votes as they come in. Any irregularities are quickly eliminated — so if you have plans to stuff the voting box, think again. All you will do is have your bad votes thrown out — along with your original good one. We’ve been doing this for more than a decade … we don’t like cheaters.

The nominees were chosen from more than 1,000 potentials, including 35 television shows and 63 movies, from an international nominating committee consisting of fans just like you! It was tough to come up with the 70 nominees in front of you now, but they did it. And if you felt someone was left off the list, keep a look out early next year on Airlock Alpha for our call for members to join the Nominating Committee, and you can tell us then why you should be a part of this important committee.

As is our custom, below are all the past Portal Award winners (we didn’t have Portal Awards in 2002 because of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack). But before we do, here is one last link to this year’s ballot.

* For television shows, “Star Trek: Voyager” has the most wins with 18 awards. “Doctor Who” has eight wins over the years, followed by “Angel” with seven. “Farscape,” “Stargate: SG-1” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” have six each.